Close
by Grievous daydreamer
Summary: Based on Ch.482, and what could happen after. Sakura's resolve falters, and is super ceded by something far stronger. One-shot.


Woo I'm not dead… I've just been studying like a mad thing…

*There be Spoilers*

Sasusaku, because no matter how uberAkatsuki I may be, I have a weakness for Sasusaku… and ch.482 did it for me. :) I don't think this is going to happen next week, but oh well. Also, go read "XxXSasukexHatakeXxX''s fanfic, 'Thank You' first, because they wrote one of these theoryfics before me. :) Enjoy~

Close

He was so close. His chakra called out to her, dragging her towards its source. It came in waves, cold, dark, brutal waves that engulfed and suffocated her. Her instincts screamed at her to run, run from this powerful foe, but something infinitely stronger forced her deep into the midst of the hellish energy, until she burst out of the forest and onto the bridge.

Her trembling jade eyes caught sight of a shock of black, spiky hair and deep crimson eyes. He stood in plain sight, back turned to her. The chasm, the body, remained unnoticed.

For a moment, she couldn't tell how long, she froze, a million past images flashing through her troubled mind.

_A classroom._

_His cold look._

_The rivalry._

_Her pleading._

_The three of them, together._

_That picture of contentment by her bedside._

It broke through her paralysis, and she spoke.

"Sasuke-kun!"

He looked up. His eyes fixed her with a striking gaze, and her blood ran cold. There was no welcome in those eyes, and it shook her to the core to think that she meant nothing to him. Had he changed that much?

"Sakura. What do you want?"

She could feel his eyes searching her. With sudden resolve, she swore he would not see her mind, she would show it to him before he could scour her thoughts. She took a step forward, determination furrowing her brow.

"I'll follow you! I'll leave Konoha!"

Somewhere in the corners of her mind, her real intent raised his voice in protest, but was silenced.

It might work, it might work. He might, this time…

She searched desperately for a flicker of emotion in those red, dotted eyes. A trickle of blood flowed gently from one, and her heart quivered at the thought of him being hurt. His eyes hardened again.

"You're still…"

Her heart stopped.

"…annoying."

Her vision blurred as her memory threw up her genin days once more.

_His body, shielding her._

_Her hand grasping his._

She forced herself to speak.

"You're still so cold."

He turned away from her, his indifference cutting her deeper than any knife. She stepped closer to him, stopping short of the hole. She could easily clear it in one jump, but right now it represented something that would take a lot more to overcome.

"I won't go away, Sasuke-kun. You can abandon me as many times as you like and I'll still keep coming back. No matter how much you hate me-"

Her voice quavered, betraying her.

"-I won't stop-"

Her voice caught.

"-I can't stop-even after all these years-"

He remained silent. She couldn't tell if he was listening or not.

"-I love you! I love you as much as I did then-"

_His smirk._

'_Thank you…'_

_Her tears._

_The moon, enveloped by darkness._

"-so please-"

He gave no reaction.

"-take me with you."

Silence.

A single drop fell from a clear blue sky.

He turned. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Go home, Sakura."

"Sasuke-"

His brow furrowed, and she felt a shiver of fear.

"I'm not that naïve little kid anymore. He's dead. That time is gone. Leave."

His words shot through her like a thousand needles.

Her feet moved forward – and met with air. With a sharp intake of breath, she fell forward.

She didn't notice that she was falling until her knees came into contact with brick. She cried out, her reflexes finally acting to throw her hands forward. They grasped at cloth, and she fell against something solid and warm.

He was so close. His chakra surrounded and suffocated her in terrible, storm-tossed waves. She couldn't break free, wouldn't break free; infinitely strong arms held her close to the heart of the icy black fog… and she was happy. At last.

Happy, even at the light touch of steel trailing its way along her back.


End file.
